World Championships 2025 – Men’s Road Race | Complete Preview

🚴‍♂️ Hello fellow cycling fans!

The 2025 UCI Road World Championships come to Rwanda 🇷🇼

In this video, I present my full Men’s Road Race 2025 Preview. We look at the race route and the key sections where riders are most likely to attack. I revisit how the 2024 World Championships were won and compare it to this year’s edition.

We then break down the strongest national teams: Tadej Pogačar’s Slovenia, Remco Evenepoel’s Belgium, and Australia with Jay Vine leading the charge. I also cover unpredictable teams like France, Spain with Juan Ayuso, Italy with Giulio Ciccone, and Ecuador with Richard Carapaz, all of whom could create chaos on the road.

Finally, we take a look at the major contenders from smaller nations who will be aiming for a surprise result — and I reveal my picks for the medalists.

If you’re excited about the World Championships 2025 and the battle between Pogacar, Remco, Pidcock, Ayuso, Del Toro, Ciccone, Carapaz, and more, this is the preview you don’t want to miss!
Who do you think will take the rainbow jersey in Rwanda? Let me know your picks in the comments below!

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Hello fellow cycling fans. I’m Georgie and welcome to my preview of World Championships 2025 men’s road race in Kegali, Rwanda. A race I have been looking for so much, maybe even the most all season long. 267 kilometers along the hills in this African country. I’m going to present the route. We are going to check the major climbs, potential tactics from the top teams, their squads. We’re also going to revisit last year’s race. And in the end, as always, I will pick my winner of this race. So, let’s start with the route. There is a total elevation of more than 5,500 m. There are some uh estimations that it’s even more than 6,000 but let’s focus on uh being more than 5,000 500. So first we are doing nine local circuit loops starting here uh near the congress center where uh we had the finish of the time trial going slightly downhill to the north here across this uh kgali golf climb then a short downhill before going to the kimura 1.3 km at around 7% that is the cobble climb it goes to one uh kilometer to go but then it continues to go uphill all the way to the finish line. So nine uh blue circuits. Then we are moving on to the red loop. Uh it is around 40 km but this extension part is around 27.5 km. I checked that on Google map. So we are using the same uh blue road. Then going on to the cot the par. Basically also the same climb that we al already saw in the time trial to that roundabout. Then a long uh drag all the way to this climb among gali. It crests some 100 km to the finish. That is really important to remember. I will talk about this climb a lot. It can play the crucial part in this race. Then a downhill short cobble climb called Mur Kegali and then back onto the blue loop where we do another six laps. So the local circuit or the blue lap is around 15 km long and it has these two climbs caught the kegali golf around 800 m at 8.1% the steepest part in the beginning some 12.5% and codima the cobalt climb is steepest once again in the beginning uh but only 9.6 six not even 10% and then it is a long uphill drag all the way to the finish. So the total elevation in this loop is around 340 m. The extension circuit has those two climbs Monali and Migali. This Monali is the biggest climb in the race. some 6 km at around 7% but a really steep near the end in the final kilometer 13.5% I think that the attacks will happen here for sure even though it is 100 m before the finish uh something just has to happen on this climb and then on this small Migali at 300 m I can also see some attacks happening maybe even from the smaller teams or with those riders in the second and third tier of favorites. This is a great opportunity for them to escape if uh the top teams are out of Thomas Sticks. And the total elevation in this part of the extension circuit is around 500 m. Now, I usually look at the bookmakers odds in the end of the video, but this time I wanted to do that first because Tate Pogar is the overwhelming favorite at 1.5. And if this was a team’s race where he would race with his UA team Emirates, then for sure I can understand these odds, taking control at this kind of terrain easily and then let Pogachure do his magic in the final or penultimate lap. But with his Slovenian team, it is not so straightforward and that is why we need to remember what happened in 2024. So how exactly did he win in 2024 in Zurich? If you watch this race and you remember correctly what happened, then you can skip to the next part of the video. But I want to address these four points. First, he had to use his team to the maximum, and he fully did that. They controlled the race from the get-go. But on the uh loops in the Zurich, they were getting depleted. He was only there with Tratnik, Novak, and Poger and Novak was already uh almost completely spent. So, what did they do? They sent Dratnik in a breakaway. That leads us to the second point. He needs to create separation at the perfect time. Of course, this perfect time is uh the most important thing in cycling. But this time it happened at around 100 kilometers to go. He launched his attack surprising Ramco and Matthew Vanderpool. They didn’t have time to respond. They didn’t expect that. And then we move on to next point. Use group two syndrome to your advantage. Once he created the separation, it was up to Belgium and Netherlands or other teams to chase him. And then they start arguing who is going to chase, who is going to control the uh group. And once they are out of teammates, then no one wants to pull. They start attacking each other and the gold medal is gone. And of course, the final fourth point is hold on to your lead. That is probably the most important and the hardest. But with pogachure he did that last year. So how did he use his team? Well, instead of using Tratnik to control this really strong group with the Plus, Katano, Court, Sivakov, Stevie Williams, Jay Vine, Kevin Fermak, Stitted and Lipovitz. No, they sent Tatnik in a breakaway. That was the most important decision in last year’s race. That was 121 km from the finish. Then at 100 km to go, here it says Primos pulling in Pelaton. I really can’t remember if Rogich indeed pulled in the pelon. I remember he was at the front of the pelon but did he really pull? I don’t remember. Then a Pog attacks only Andrea Bajoli follows. He has Dratnik waiting for him then pulling in the group in the breakaway. Uh Belgium they needed like 5 km to organize the chase. Dratnik was pulling as much as he could and then at 50 km to go Poger go solo and they never see him again. He gets the gold medal and we can see how group two syndrome was his advantage. Campenard he starts pulling at 96 km to go. So they needed four or 5 km to organize the chase. And with 72 km to go Belgium was out of domestics. Ramco attacks because he has no one in the group to work for him. Matthew Vanderpool goes along. He covers him. They spend a lot of energy. They start arguing and Pogacher is once again gone. Maybe he wasn’t the strongest. I think he was, but he didn’t win by sheer power. He won by using brains and great tactics. So, let’s now check Slovenia’s squad for this race. They have nine riders, one more than last year because Poger has the free entry as the world champion. Primojich once again in the team. uh last year I didn’t really see him helping a lot. If he is willing to sacrifice himself for Pogacher then Poger’s chances rise dramatically. But if he is here for his own then uh it is not a clear uh it is not an easy run for Slovenia. They have Moic instead of Tratnik. Novak Mazits go he is the addition to the team from last year. And then Yaka Primojic and Matis Jumer. Okay. uh Primo and Zumemer they can uh bring the bottles, bring gels, candy bars. I don’t want to disrespect those guys. It is such an unselfish act to even come to world championships to work for your leader. At the end of the day, no one really remembers you. Uh but you did uh all you could, you sacrificed yourself. This is basically his free time. There is no uh races on Sunday in the world. So, uh, major props to all the guys that come to work for the leaders, but okay, you can’t really expect them to do anything. Glear, Kovkar, Masgett, they can control the breakaway in that early laps on the first local circuit. But then once it gets hard, then it’s up to Novak and Moish to step up. Just two guys for more than 100 kilometers, it’s really hard. Uh, they need to find something uh new from last year. Now I think everyone will expect Pogaturer to go that early with even 100 km to go. So what can Slovenia hope for? Well, if they can get to the local circuit with at least one helper and that is Primojlich, then I think Poger’s chances are good. But if he is alone, then it’s really hard to see him repeating his success of last year. uh once the attacks start rolling he can’t cover everything and then uh just when one guy goes away then the gold is gone I think second major team is Belgium obviously Ramco apool is the leader this is actually a great team to control the breaker Hermas Maurice Utbrooks ver and vervik instead of Benot who has co but they are not really that great for attacking. If let’s say Hermans or Utbrooks end up in a winning breakaway, then I don’t really fancy their chances of winning the gold in in a strong breakaway group. So, uh they have to control everything for Ramco, but he shouldn’t uh he shouldn’t um work for Poker. He needs to create that separation what I talked about last year. Surprise Poger. Go earlier. go even earlier than poger if it is possible on among kegali that is the perfect opportunity but still it’s really hard to see Ramco creating separation from poger in the end I can easily see those two guys marking each other and then maybe even getting out of medals but still Ramco is the second favorite if the two of them get the separation I think they will actually work together all the other guys will they really work with pogature In the end, I don’t think so. But still with medals up to grabs, if it is a one guy or two from UAT memories, then I can see them working. But in a big group of four, five, six guys, I don’t think that anyone will work with Pugacher. Now, Australia is a really nice team attacking with Hamilton, Harper, Hinley, Matthews, Plop, Scotsson, Stodder, and Jaywine. All those guys, I can see them getting the medal and going maybe even really early with let’s say Luke Plop or Caleum Scotsson. Why not go in an early breakaway? Put pressure on Belgium and Slovenia. Then let’s say drill it on Moni and send Hindley or Stoer or Vine in a breakaway. If they can get in a good move, then why not? They can get even the gold medal. So Australia keep an eye on them. I think they have the team that will get at least one medal. Ben O Connor, he was uh the bronze medal last year and I think they can even go higher this time around. Now we’re moving on to team chaos. It’s France. They have eight riders. All can win this race. Alfilip, Bernard, Jaga, Madua, Pantra, Sexa, and Sivo. I think they just need to get in every move possible. Maybe even from the start. Madua, he loves these kind of races. Allah Philip, a multiple world champion, Paranas, Sivako, all riders capable of meddling here. I expect them in every move as well as Italy with Chicone, Pelitari, Pajoli, Fortunato, Frigo, Katano, Subro, Masnada. Maybe even one team can risk it and try to pace full gas on Monali. try to drop everyone from Slovenia and then attack Pogachure. That is probably the best tactics in this race. But who is going to be willing to sacrifice its riders in a race like this? A man can take the medal or even win it. Another team that can do the same as Italy and France is Spain with Auso Paleston fresh from Wela Soler as well Romeo Verona Canal Rojadria Raal Garcia Piera they will be in every move too so Spain Italy France when they go you need to go as well and finally let’s look at the riders that need to get in a perfect move they don’t have a lot of teammates they’ll Toro for Mexico, Ben Hilly for Ireland, then Carapas for Ecuador, Ironsman uh for Netherlands, UK has two options in Petco and only Colombia just has Egon Bernal. Norway has lack USA with Simos and then Denmark with scale mosa. They need to make it stick. they will probably save it for a bit later in the race back when we get to the blue or local circuit once again. So, having said all that, let’s get back to the bookmakaker odds and I finally pick my winner. I don’t think that it’s going to be Poger once again. It’s just too hard to see him do the same thing two years in a row. Ramco apool. I think he will be locked with Pogatur. So, no gold medals for them. Who is going to be my pick? Well, that’s going to be one certain Spanish rider and that is Huan Ausu. They have a great team. They’re going to push like crazy in every move. Huayus will be in the move that sticks. He has a good sprint in the end on that cobble climb and he wins this race. silver medal once again for team Yui Emirates I have Jwine and then for bronze I have one certain Mr. Richard Karapas. Of course, I can be very wrong. Poger and Ramu can get a gold and silver. Also, watch out for Primos. If he is in good form, if he’s here to help Pogachure, then Pogan can win. If Pri is here for himself, then I think that will be Slovenia’s downfall. That is all for this long preview. I really hope you enjoyed it. Give me a like if you did. Don’t forget to subscribe and hit that notification bell so you never miss a preview in my channel. Have a great day and enjoy this road race.